List of Broadway shows that have held the title of longest-running show

Took lead
Title
Type
Opening date
Closing date
Performances
Comments/Notes
January 9, 2006
The Phantom of the Opera
M
January 26, 1988
-
12,927
Currently running at the Majestic Theatre 7 Tony Awards in 1988, including Best Musical 7 Drama Desk Awards in 1988 Broadway's longest-running show and musical
June 19, 1997
Cats
M
October 7, 1982
September 10, 2000
7,485
7 Tony Awards in 1983, including Best Musical 3 Drama Desk Awards in 1983 Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1984
September 29, 1983
A Chorus Line
M
July 25, 1975
April 28, 1990
6,137
9 Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical 5 Drama Desk Awards in 1976, including Outstanding Musical A Special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976 Revival in 2006 (759 performances)
December 8, 1979
Grease
M
February 14, 1972
April 13, 1980
3,388
2 Drama Desk Awards in 1972 Revivals in 1994 (1,505 performances) and 2007 (554 performances)
June 17, 1972
Fiddler on the Roof
M
September 22, 1964
July 2, 1972
3,242
Became longest running musical in July 1971, at 2,845 performances passing 2,844 mark of Hello Dolly!. 9 Tony Awards in 1965, including Best Musical A Special Tony Award in 1972 for becoming Broadway's longest-running musical Revivals in 1976 (167 performances), 1981 (53 performances), 1990, (241 performances), 2004 (781 performances), and 2015 (431 performances)
June 14, 1947
Life with Father
P
November 8, 1939
July 12, 1947
3,224
Broadway's longest-running straight play. Started at Empire Theatre, moved to the Bijou Theatre in 1945, and finished up its run in 1947 at the Alvin Theatre.
June 1939
Tobacco Road
P
December 4, 1933
May 31, 1941
3,182
Revivals in 1942 (34 performances), 1943 (66 performances), and 1950 (7 performances)
May 23, 1925
Abie's Irish Rose
P
May 23, 1923
October 1, 1927
2,327
Revivals in 1937 (46 performances) and 1954 (20 performances)
March 17, 1920
Lightnin'
P
August 26, 1918
August 27, 1921
1,291
Revival in 1938 (54 performances)
June 22, 1893
A Trip to Chinatown
M
November 9, 1891
August 7, 1893
657
-
December 1885
Adonis
M
September 4, 1884
April 17, 1886
603
-
May 1881
Hazel Kirke
P
February 4, 1880
May 31, 1881
486
250th performance programme claimed play had exceeded number of consecutive performances of any "similar play" in the country on its 238th performance, which is no doubt a reference to Pique (1875) which ran for 237 performances.
August 5, 1867
The Black Crook
M
September 12, 1866
January 4, 1868
474
First Broadway show to run for over one year. In terms of a "musical", The Seven Sisters (1860–61, 253 perf.), was probably the longest running show closest to a "musical" prior to this.
1853
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Aiken version)
P
August 8, 1853
May 13, 1854
325
Has generally been classified as a play, though some arguments have been made that it was a musical. Played at the National Theatre.
1850
The Drunkard
P
1850
October 7, 1850?
100
As of October 7, 1850, it hit 100 consecutive performances in New York, the first play to do so. At Barnum's American Museum.
September 24, 1844
Putnam, the Iron Son of '76
P
August 5, 1844
November 2, 1844
78
At the Bowery Theatre. If Mazeppa ran 43 nights in 1833 and was previous record, Putnam became most performed on its 44th performance on September 24, 1844.
1833
Mazeppa, Or, The Wild Horse of Ukraine
P
July 22, 1833
September 9, 1833
43
At the Bowery Theatre with George Gale as Mazeppa.
1831
The Elephant of Siam and the Fire Fiend by Samuel Beazley
P
January 10, 1831
?
18
At the Bowery Theatre, the first season under Thomas S. Hamblin, who embraced melodramas which might support longer runs.

Question: When was "Cats" the longest-running Broadway show and which show surpassed it?
Answer: "Cats" was the longest-running Broadway show from 1997 until 2006, when it was surpassed by "The Phantom of the Opera".